Call for Papers: Between Contestation and Proclamation

Cultural heritage encompasses both tangible artefacts and intangible attributes passed down from the past, serving as a bridge between past and future through present-day preservation practices. The notion and understanding of cultural heritage emerged from complex historical processes in which values were attributed to various objects and landscapes, leading to their recognition as possessing outstanding universal value and belonging to humanity, thereby highlighting the unique and irreplaceable character of cultural heritage and the need for its protection and conservation.

The academic debate around heritage is also at the core of research and collaboration activities of the University Alliance Transform4Europe: ‘Heritage is a multifaceted concept encompassing tangible and intangible elements, environmental factors, generations, labour, and conversion.’ (T4EU WP7.2 Whitepaper 2024: 5).

On 17-18 October 2024, Saarland University (UniGR-Center for Border Studies), in collaboration with the University of Silesia (Silesian Center for the Study of Regional and Transborder Memory) and the University of Trieste (CRMCS – Centro di Ricerca sulle Migrazioni e la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo) jointly organise the T4EU Regional Heritage Workshop on issues of cultural heritage in contexts of border struggles and in (cross-)border alliances.

For our workshop ‘Between Contestation and Proclamation: Cultural Heritage in Border Struggles and (Cross-)Border Alliances’, we invite contributions to critically examine the interplay between border struggles, (cross-)border alliances, and (cultural) heritage. By questioning the assumption of the prerequisite of common heritage in border contestations, contributions may highlight how cultural heritage both incites and results from border conflicts and cooperative efforts. Heritage often becomes a contested terrain, where claims to historical and cultural continuity fuel geopolitical disputes and migration-related struggles. Simultaneously, shared (or proclaimed) heritage can be a powerful catalyst for cross-border alliances, fostering collaboration and peace-building initiatives. This dual role of heritage underscores its complexity: it serves as both a divisive force in border conflicts and a unifying element in transnational cooperation. Understanding the role of heritage in border dynamics requires a critical approach that moves beyond simplistic notions of commonality, recognizing instead the diverse and contested meanings attributed to heritage by different actors. We particularly invite such perspectives to illuminate the multifaceted impacts of cultural heritage on border-related phenomena, emphasizing the need for nuanced analysis.

We invite panel (up to 3 papers) and paper (20 minutes max.) submissions as well as workshop and roundtable proposals. Please send your abstract (300 words max.) and a short bio-bibliographical blurb to borderstudies@uni-saarland.de by 4 August 2024.

Contact: Eva Nossem, e.nossem@mx.uni-saarland.de